Which place is cheaper, Mexico City or Colonia del Sacramento?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Colonia del Sacramento or Mexico City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Colonia del Sacramento and Mexico City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Colonia del Sacramento or Mexico City?
Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento is in the Rio de la Plata region of Uruguay. It is filled with old colonial buildings and cobbled streets, and is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Colonia del Sacramento was founded in 1680 by the Portuguese, sandwiched in between the Portuguese colony of Brazil and the Spanish Viceroyalty of the River Plate, later Argentina, Uruguay and Southern Brazil. Its strategic position and use as a smuggling port meant that its sovereignty was constantly contested and the city changed hands several times between Spain and Portugal. The irresistibly picturesque town's charm and its proximity to Buenos Aires draw thousands of Argentine and other visitors on weekends and in summer. Prices rise in these periods and it can be difficult to find a room so make sure to book your trip well in advance.
Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best Adventure Tours to Uruguay, The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico.
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Colonia del Sacramento Prices
Uruguay PricesMexico City Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayColonia del Sacramento $78Mexico City $224
The average daily cost (per person) in Colonia del Sacramento is $78, while the average daily cost in Mexico City is $224. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Colonia del Sacramento and Mexico City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personColonia del Sacramento $33Mexico City $40
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomColonia del Sacramento $66Mexico City $80
Compare Hotels in Colonia del Sacramento and Mexico City
Looking for a hotel in Colonia del Sacramento or Mexico City? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Colonia del Sacramento Hotel Prices and Mexico City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Colonia del Sacramento $17Mexico City $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Colonia del Sacramento
Also for Colonia del Sacramento, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer Colonia to Carmelo (or vice - versa): $290
- Colonia Port Terminal Private Transfer: $21
- Colonia Bus Terminal Private Transfer: $21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:
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Metro$1.14
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Uber Ride$4.01
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City
Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Mexico APT-HTL (MEX): $36
- Transfers Airport Hotel CDMX: $153
- Transfer from Airport to Hotel: $220
- Transfer Mexico city Airport - Mexico city Downtown hotels: $18
- Transfer Mexico City Airport to Downtown and Zona Rosa Hotels: $80
- Transfer Airport Hotel Airport Mexico City: $80
- Transfer Adolfo López Mateos International Airport TLC: $68
- Transfer & assistance one-way from/to Mexico City Airport/hotel: $72
- Toluca to Toluca Int Airport (TLC) - Departure Private Transfer: $48
- Toluca Int Airport(TLC) to Toluca - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $96
- Toluca Int Airport (TLC) to Toluca - Arrival Private Transfer: $48
- Toluca Airport (TLC) to Toluca - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $96
Is it cheaper to fly into Colonia del Sacramento or Mexico City?
Prices for flights to both Mexico City and Colonia del Sacramento change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayColonia del Sacramento $31Mexico City $45
Typical Food Prices in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$13
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Coffee and Snacks$4.47
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Dinner for 2$26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Mexico City Walking Vegan Food Tour in Roma Norte: $5.89
- Mexico City Coyoacan Food Tour & Optional Frida Kahlo Museum: $20
- Private Street Food Tour Mexico City - Best rated: $35
- Cable Car, Cultural Spaces, and Traditional Food Tour: $40
- Virtual Mexican Cooking Class (private and personalized): $50
- Veracruz and Boca del Rio Food Tour with Mangroves Boat Trip: $50
- Coyoacan Market Food Tour Urban Eats & Local Legends: $54
- San Juan Market Food Tour Exotic Bites & Flavors: $54
- Tortilla Crawl: Food Tour in Mexico City: $55
- Mexico : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $58
- Local Markets & Food Tour in Mexico City: $63
- 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $65
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Colonia del Sacramento $23Mexico City $14
Tours and Activities in Colonia del Sacramento
For Colonia del Sacramento, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Authentic Colony on Walking Tour of Its Historic Quarter: $20
- Bus Ticket from Colonia del Sacramento to Carmelo: $27
- Candombe experience: $35
- Candombe in Colonia: an immersive experience with the local community: $75
- Cerros de San Juan Winery Tour – Tastings & History: $461
- City Tour Colonia del Sacramento - Uruguay: $90
- Cologne Experiences : Cologne Historic Quarter Private Tour: $75
- Cologne Südstadt: Group Bike Tour with Cheese and Craft Beer: $65
- Colonia Walking Tour & Chivito Lunch at Casa Páez Vilaró: $55
- Colonia del Sacramento City Tour: $68
- Colonia del Sacramento Full City Tour: $81
- Colonia del Sacramento Historical Tour Duration of 1 hour: $13
Tours and Activities in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- "Sabor a Calle": Mexico City Street Food Adventure: $93
- "Teotihuacan direct with breakfast buffet, ticket and guide included": $88
- 1 Day Tour to Zacatlán and Chignahuapan from Mexico city: $200
- 1 day in Puebla and Cholula in private tour from Mexico city: $160
- 100% Private Tour in Teotihuacán Pyramids from Mexico City: $120
- 100% private tour in Chapultepec Castle & around (with transport): $76
- 2 hours Private Gastronomic Tour in Mexico city (NEW TOUR!): $55
- 2026 Azcapotzalco Walking Tour Mexico City Adventure: $140
- 2D: Frida Kahlo Museum(No ticket)-Xochimilco & Cuernavaca - Taxco: $194
- 3 Day Private Culinary Experience in CDMX Beyond Tacos: $300
- 3-Hour Private Archaeological Walking Tour in Mexico with ATV: $165
- 3-in-1 Tour: Frida Kahlo Museum, Coyoacan and Xochimilco Small Group: $79
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayColonia del Sacramento $5.59Mexico City $20
Sample the Local Flavors in Colonia del Sacramento
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Colonia del Sacramento:
- Cheese and Wine Tasting - Roots of Colonia del Sacramento: $32
- Private Guided Colonia Wine Tour: $190
- Carmelo from Colonia: Wine Tasting Experience & Lunch at the Zubizarreta Winery: $204
- Indulge in a Scenic Wine Tour from Colonia to Carmelo: $250
Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:
- CDMX Pub Crawl: Guided Pub Crawl with Party Games: $24
- Mexico City Pub Crawl: $26
- The Mexico City Pub Crawl: A real chilango night: $33
- THE MEXICO CITY PUB CRAWL: A real chilango night: $35
- Make Your Own Tequila or Mezcal with Distillery and Cocktails: $94
- Zona Rosa Pub Crawl Experience: $100
- Mexican Wine Tasting with Food Pairing: $126
- The Mexican Wine Tasting and Pairing: $127
- Distillery Tour and Lucha Libre Spirits and Showdown: $127
- Private Cheese and Wine Tour to Queretaro: $511
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Colonia del Sacramento and Mexico City, we can see that Mexico City is more expensive. And not only is Colonia del Sacramento much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Colonia del Sacramento is in South America and Mexico City is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Colonia del Sacramento would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Colonia del Sacramento and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Mexico City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mexico City than you might in Colonia del Sacramento.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Colonia del Sacramento Expensive? and Is Mexico City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Colonia del Sacramento or Mexico City?
Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 520 times larger than the population of Colonia del Sacramento. When comparing the sizes of Colonia del Sacramento and Mexico City, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.